500 Calorie Diet

24

Replies

  • PlumeriaTattoo
    PlumeriaTattoo Posts: 21 Member
    I did the 500 calorie HCG diet. Twice. I lost 30 lbs each time, and gained it all back as soon as I tried to add carbs back into my diet. I lost a LOT of hair. I lost a LOT of muscle. My skin looked bad. My metabolism slowed to a crawl. And now I feel like crap because I gained all that weight like it was nothing. I gained it all back within 6 months each time, and believe me...I was not eating a bunch of calories or binging on carbs and sugar. I just tried to eat normal, mostly whole foods.

    I am struggling now to gain back strength and lose the weight that came on me so easily after a very low calorie diet. I learned my lesson, but everyone is different and we all have to learn our own ways what will work or not work for us. But there is no way I'd do a super-low calorie diet ever again. Even if the weight stayed off, the other side effects make it just not worth it for me. I'd rather be healthy and strong, than thin.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    Best of luck with your future journey. I know how much courage it takes to face down AN. xx

    thank-you, lovely xoxox and you! while i'm not pleased that you understand why threads like these are so upsetting (as i wouldn't wish that on anyone), it is reassuring that others find them problematic. it really irks me to see anyone encourage another person to follow a suicidal diet. all the best <3

    I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to imply I'd battled AN - I can see my phrasing gave that impression. But I am very close to people who have, and have also worked with people as they've gone through it. I just know it takes huge amounts of courage and dedication.
  • ladybg81
    ladybg81 Posts: 1,553 Member
    You probably need to find another place to ask that question than here.

    Surely, you can not be serious.
  • msiamjan
    msiamjan Posts: 326 Member
    This has been in my past; but both times when trying to maintain the losses, I ended up weighing more than I started. Both times I was on medically supervised programs. I'm not giving advice, just you asked for actual experiences. My goal now is to teach my body to lose weight on a sustainable diet in hopes that I'll be able to ease more comfortably into maintenance. I think I probably screwed up my metabolism with my past practices. Now I want to do what I can to rev it up. Good luck, however you choose to proceed.
  • prettygirlxp
    prettygirlxp Posts: 27
    That's a h0rrible idea :(
  • Sophie983
    Sophie983 Posts: 119 Member
    Im on 600 cals. Open dairy. Check it if you want. Haters hate. It works for me.

    Hating? Seriously?
    You look very very young. I guess your goal is to be thin. It would be nice if your goal was to be healthy as well.
    Nobody is being mean. We are mostly worried that people are doing so much damage to their bodies.
  • LisaMarieee
    LisaMarieee Posts: 176 Member
    Under-eating for a long term period can cause irreparable damage. Hair loss, brittle bones, bad skin, your brain will stop functioning properly. In essence, your whole body will begin to shut down. Imagine you only have so much electricity to power your house. The first thing you'd do is shut of anything unimportant. Then you'd lower the power on anything that's vital to conserve what little energy you have left. That is what your body will do.

    I'm am not saying this definitely will happen to you, but it's highly probable. Will you really be happy being thin, but with thin, lank hair (if any hair), barely able to stand up for more than a few minutes at a time.

    And on the other end of the scale very often people put on all the weight they lost and then some on top of that. Don't damage your body for quick, temporary weight loss. It isn't worth it. Not only that, I was recently looking at someone's diary that who is on a low calorie diet and their consistent low calorie diet meant they ended up binging on all kinds of junk food periodically, which is really difficult to avoid if you deprive your body.

    I do say this purely out of concern, not to be one of the 'haters'. Slowly increase your calorie intake (maybe 100 calories extra a week) and it'll do you wonders.
    This.
  • wifeygettingfit
    wifeygettingfit Posts: 17
    Serious? Can't be.
  • Shanahan09
    Shanahan09 Posts: 97
    If it works for some, fine...But, I don't know one person who has kept the weight off after going back to eating regularly. :( Oh, and I should add, it's putting the body in jeopardy. Organs, blood, muscles etc, are meant to be nutritionally fed. Sorry, it's the 'shortcut' that won't bring permanent results.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,961 Member
    Impatient and desperate people do this. Don't be shocked when Thankgiving and Christmas comes around that you gain a lot of it back.
  • dannylives
    dannylives Posts: 611
    You need to workout and eat healthy! You need to know what it's like to slave away the pounds and feel the pride and self-confidence that comes from working out! You need to change your lifestyle and your thinking,....the thinking that says, "I dont wanna workout, its too hard, I'm just not a workout type of person." This is not about looks and vanity, it's about accomplishing your goals through hard work and dedication. I respect all who have lost weight this way even if they're STILL overweight! They will lose the remaining weight because they know what it takes to get it off, they can see themselves going through what they have to go through to get there and they know they will feel so much better about themselves at the end. I'm still in this battle with myself. It's about becoming a better person, in my opinion.

    Or, you could do a 500 calorie diet. Actually, I dont know anything about 500 calorie diets. Maybe its healthy. Maybe I'm wrong. If youre under a doctors supervision, i would say to get some 2nd and 3rd opinions. It sounds like you'll be thin but not have any lean muscle mass on you though. :)
  • whisperingdragon
    whisperingdragon Posts: 334
    I eat around 1800 a day or more. I lose about 4-6 pounds a month..

    Good luck with everything. :flowerforyou:
  • angelaclassact
    angelaclassact Posts: 66 Member
    Why would you do this? If you only eat 500 calories you will not be able to exercise. I think you'll be doing some permanent damage to yourself by trying this one out. The key to a healthy lifestyle is a balanced diet and exercise. You won't be getting that with this set up. Is this an "easy" way out? And by easy, I mean skipping the exercise part of things? Because lord knows eating only 500 calories a day isn't going to be easy.
  • angelaclassact
    angelaclassact Posts: 66 Member
    .
  • cazzincali
    cazzincali Posts: 337 Member
    It's similar to the hcg diet thingy and there's plenty of people on here on it..... I just don't take them drops.....however I don't knock it either. So we shall see but thanks for being optimistic ;) lol

    The hcg diet acually makes your body burn fat INSTEAD of muscle because it tricks the body into thinking you are pregnant ...
  • millionsofpeaches
    millionsofpeaches Posts: 372
    I assume you are talking about the HCG diet... You know that you are injecting yourself with pregnant lady pee.
  • angelaclassact
    angelaclassact Posts: 66 Member
    Im on 600 cals. Open dairy. Check it if you want. Haters hate. It works for me.

    I read a bit of your diary because I was curious about what you're eating. I don't see how it is healthy...there has to be something you're doing to your body internally that you cannot see or be aware of at your age. You're doing the damage now, and the effects will hit you later. Meanwhile, it looks like you're doing some "overeating" (and by calling that it is seriously a JOKE!) - I imagine it is because you're starving! Your food plan doesn't appear to be well rounded or healthy, but that's just me. I'm scared for you!
  • foodforfuel
    foodforfuel Posts: 569 Member
    I assume you are talking about the HCG diet... You know that you are injecting yourself with pregnant lady pee.

    ..and we all know pregnant ladies were not practicing 'safe sex'!
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    My breakfast is about 500 calories. And so is my second breakfast. Generally speaking, 500 calories is a good typical size for a meal.
  • SiltyPigeon
    SiltyPigeon Posts: 920 Member
    I was on a 600 calorie diet for 3 months. I lost lots of weight. Then my hair started falling out. I had to start taking laxatives in order to use the bathroom. My nails became brittle. I got acne for the first time in my life. I NEEDED a nap in the afternoon. And worse of all... if I so much as went up to 900 calories I would gain a pound practically over night.

    It took months to get myself back to "normal". Then once I started on the 1200 diet I began losing the same amount per week as I was on 600.

    In retrospect the 600 calorie diet wasn't a very good idea. I didn't believe that at the time and no one could have talked me out of it. You will learn.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,961 Member
    Im on 600 cals. Open dairy. Check it if you want. Haters hate. It works for me.
    Lol, haters. Nah, just people who have much experience with actual correct methods of losing weight. Whether you think it or not, low calories for someone of your stature is on the brink of ED.
  • SiltyPigeon
    SiltyPigeon Posts: 920 Member
    It's similar to the hcg diet thingy and there's plenty of people on here on it..... I just don't take them drops.....however I don't knock it either. So we shall see but thanks for being optimistic ;) lol

    The hcg diet acually makes your body burn fat INSTEAD of muscle because it tricks the body into thinking you are pregnant ...

    Not according to ACTUAL SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH. That is a marketing gimmick... and a flat out lie.
  • koosdel
    koosdel Posts: 3,317 Member
    It's similar to the hcg diet thingy and there's plenty of people on here on it..... I just don't take them drops.....however I don't knock it either. So we shall see but thanks for being optimistic ;) lol

    The hcg diet acually makes your body burn fat INSTEAD of muscle because it tricks the body into thinking you are pregnant ...

    Lol!
  • LoveleeB
    LoveleeB Posts: 560 Member
    This is a joke right?
  • Fredrigo
    Fredrigo Posts: 134 Member
    500 calories will do horrible things to your blood sugar levels any time you eat anything. I wouldn't encourage it at all unless your under 3 ft tall maybe.
  • shankleefranklee
    shankleefranklee Posts: 142
    I really don't understand HOW people are like "Oh this is wonderful!" What exactly do you eat? Most of the time an apple is around 100 calories, and a banana is 90. I don't understand how you can be full and healthy with eating such limited amounts?

    A cup of broth? A banana? An apple? Calories are gone for the day, and you're thinking to yourself that this is working wonderfully?
  • ImperfektAngel
    ImperfektAngel Posts: 811 Member
    This can't be safe! and doctors dont always know whats best when it comes to what one should be eating. My doctor forever told me to eat only 1200, Even after losing all the weight, she kept insisting I should lower my calorie intake from what I was eating!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,961 Member


    The hcg diet acually makes your body burn fat INSTEAD of muscle because it tricks the body into thinking you are pregnant ...
    You've been scammed to believe that. With little to no exercise, you lose muscle rapidly. And lol, men must on HCG must think they are pregnant? Do they get pickle cravings? LMAO! Classic.
  • Erindipitous
    Erindipitous Posts: 1,234 Member
    Vitamin supplements or not, you WILL become deficient, and you WILL harm your body.


    Eat a healthy, well-balanced 1200 and avoid the long term negative effects.

    Please.
  • ilookthetype
    ilookthetype Posts: 3,021 Member
    I did this in high school and college, and then I got into therapy and I stopped.
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